Is vocal cord edema serious?

Vocal cord edema is a relatively common vocal cord problem and also a disease that can have a great impact on people's health. If there are symptoms of vocal cord edema and it is not treated in time, it may even cause difficulty in speaking. In addition, if the child has symptoms of vocal cord edema, timely treatment is necessary to avoid affecting his pronunciation. Here we will introduce you to some relevant knowledge about vocal cord edema!

1. Symptoms

In fact, it mainly manifests itself in sore throat, especially when the pronunciation seems a little hoarse, and there is a slight pain. In fact, because the vocal cords are located in the throat, when vocal cord edema occurs, the throat will appear to be larger than usual. Vocal cord edema is not a very serious disease. It is usually caused by inflammation, so it will heal on its own by taking some anti-inflammatory drugs or without treatment. However, for children who are in the voice change period, it is best to receive treatment to avoid affecting their pronunciation.

2. Differential Diagnosis

1. Acute laryngitis

Symptoms include hoarseness, throat pain, cough, and difficulty breathing. Patients feel discomfort, dryness, burning, and foreign body sensation in the throat. There may be slight pain in the throat and front of the trachea, and the throat pain worsens when speaking. Indirect laryngoscopy showed acute congestion and swelling of the laryngeal mucosa, which was symmetrical and diffuse on both sides.

2. Chronic laryngitis

Initially, the patient has intermittent hoarseness and feels that there is phlegm sticking to the throat. Whenever speaking, the patient needs to clear the throat or cough to clear the thick phlegm. There is often discomfort in the throat, and patients cough to temporarily relieve the discomfort in the throat. This cough is often a dry cough without secretions. Laryngoscopy may reveal chronic congestion and swelling of the vocal cords, mucosal thickening, or mucosal atrophy with crusts.

3. Hypothyroidism

Pale face, swollen eyelids and cheeks, dull expression, and dry skin all over the body. Memory loss, intellectual disability, heavy menstruation in women, and decreased libido in men. Thyroid function tests showing serum TT4, TT3, FT4, and FT3 lower than normal values ​​can diagnose this disease.

3. Treatment principles

Treat the primary disease, improve unhealthy lifestyles, and perform acid suppression and anti-inflammatory treatments. In severe cases, vocal cord Reinke's space edema incision and decompression can be performed under a micro-supported laryngoscope.